Old Pulteney’s famous stills

In Their Own Words – Malcolm Waring, distillery manager, Old Pulteney

Malcolm Waring is the distillery manager at Old Pulteney, until recently the most northerly distillery on the Scottish mainland. He tells us how Old Pulteney got its name, his reaction to winning the most coveted award in the whisky world, and his approach to whisky-making.

Malcolm Waring, distillery manager at Old Pulteney

The distillery is named after Sir William Johnstone Pulteney who was quite a vocal guy. People would go round saying “Did you hear that Old Pulteney was talking about this and that?”’

‘When we won the top award in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible – well, Jim Murray is a Marmite guy but it really opened things up for us. A lot of people hadn’t heard of Old Pulteney before that. You can take his Bible with a pinch of salt but he’s clearly got a very educated palate because he thinks that Old Pulteney 21 Year Old is the best whisky in the world!’

‘When the 21 Year Old won the Whisky Bible award, if people couldn’t buy it, they’d buy the 17 Year Old. And if they couldn’t buy the 17yo, they’d buy the 12 Year Old! In three days we sold what we would normally sell in three years’

‘Eighty per cent of what you taste you get from the cask’

‘We take from the land. It gives us what we want in spirit and we return it. Everything taken from the land is returned’

‘A longer fermentation gives a more fruity character; shorter ferments bring out the cereal notes’

‘The DNA of Pulteney is coastal, briny and floral with a banana note – but it’s not salty’

‘The coastal note is easy to explain: look out through any window on a stormy day and you’ll see that it’s salted up. It’s salt city round here; we’re only 200 yards away from the North Sea’

‘The story about our [famously shaped] stills? We got our calculations wrong and we couldn’t get the roof back on…’

‘Distilling is all about experience. You make it with your senses, not with a machine’

Click here to see our full range of Old Pulteney whisky.

What a Difference a Year Makes – Incredible Value Next to Macallan 25

1993 Macallan 24 Year Old “Old Particular” Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky

“Macallan is the only true first growth in today’s single malt market and it’s not often you get a deal on luxury.” – David Driscoll, K&L Assistant Head Buyer

Macallan is the only Scottish single malt distillery that has truly achieved first growth status within the industry, despite the fact that many others have tried. The distillery’s multi-thousand dollar price points are reminiscent of Chateau Lafite (even DRC at times) and rare collections continue to drive the value of the heralded Highland distillery further into the stratosphere. The 18 year old has gone from $80 to $250 in the span of a decade and the 25 year old now sells for a minimum of $1500 a bottle when you can find it. It’s for that reason that, despite the lavish expense, our buyers could not pass up the rarest of all opportunities when it happened upon them: a rare single cask of Macallan 24 year old, bottled at cask strength (no water added), unchillfiltered straight from the barrel for a price that defies the market forces. While normally full proof, single barrel editions sell for a premium compared to the standard editions, our team managed to pull off the deal for a fraction of comparative market prices. Full of vanilla, stone fruit, and classic malt character, this single hogshead edition captures the elegance of the perfectly mature Macallan distillate at an unbridled 51.3% natural cask strength. Bottled exclusively for K&L by our friends at Old Particular, there are only 190 bottles available.

This product is expected to arrive for shipment or pickup by Monday, January 15, 2018.

1993 Macallan 24 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) (Pre-Arrival) ($599.99)

David Driscoll | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 16, 2017

As K&L’s spirits buyer, I stopped looking for luxury casks years ago. The Port Ellens and Broras of the world are far too expensive at this point to justify the thousand dollar prices and the amount of customers still looking for rare editions of lost distilleries has dwindled, especially for an entire cask’s worth of whisky. That being said, every now and again I can pull a little magic out of my dusty old Scotch hat and find a barrel of something truly stupendous. While $600 for a bottle of Macallan may not seem like a deal to everyone, I would do a price search for the 25 year Macallan as a comparison and see what pops up. You’re looking at a minimum of $1500-$1700 for a single bottle in today’s market and that’s for a blend of numerous barrels proofed down to 43% ABV. Can you imagine what the Mac 25 would cost as a single barrel at full proof? It would be at least $3000 if not more! Even older independent editions like the one we’re offering here sell for a minimum of $750-$1000 overseas. But in the spirit of the holidays, we’re offering a pure, unadulterated cask of 24 year old Macallan from a single barrel at full proof for $599. There’s not much of it. Only enough for 190 lucky people (if everyone only buys one bottle), but like I said before: Macallan is the only true first growth in today’s single malt market and it’s not often you get a deal on luxury. Aged in a refill hogshead barrel, there’s no sherry influence here, just golden grains, soft vanilla, rounded fruits, and classic Macallan elegance. Getting the price down to $599 in today’s competitive market was something of a miracle, but that’s what the holidays are for, right? Those looking for something truly special this holiday season need look no further. We won’t actually receive the bottles until January, so you might have to print out a gift receipt and place it in a card for your loved ones in the meantime, but it doesn’t get more refined than this. This is the Chateau Margaux of single malt whisky casks. If you truly enjoy drinking old Macallan, I have to imagine this is the last time we’ll see anything like this under $1000 at K&L.

We’ve added some seductive single cask sparkle to this month’s Outturn with the release of these two sophisticated whiskies. Silky smooth with glorious warm and sweet flavours, both bottles come with a sleek black label. Limited in availabilty, order now to avoid disappointment.

Cask No. 27.111

A coal bucket of marshmallows

Age: 22 Years Price: £285

Cask No. 41.100

‘Curl up by the fire’

Age: 37 Years Price: £395

To Join:

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

Ralfy ‘ralfy-recommends’ with Ralfy Review 697 – Glen Garioch 12yo @ 48%vol

Why we love Glen Moray Distillery

It’s not a hard answer, because it is easy to get to, the drams are excellent, a good tour – and the people.

Let me start with the people. Graham is friendly and easy going, Iain is a gem and who I would call a friend, known him for years, Emma is a grand lass, the centre staff are all good, the workers are always saying hello! Are you getting the idea? The visitor centre is always clean and tidy – sometimes a wee bit busy, but that explains a lot. A good shopping selection, drams – believe me when I say good value, I certainly mean it, exceptional value and a good range with a few gems to be found, bottle your own fae the cask is always good. They also serve teas/coffee drinks and good food, a newspaper if you wish to wait for someone, the visit is always pleasant.

Select Tasting – A tasting of 4 drams including our Heritage Range – £10, or Exclusive Tasting – A tasting of 4 drams including limited editions and distillery exclusive bottlings – £20, cheaper than a pub, certainly a hotel and fantastic value, I would go for the exclusive every time, it has happened often. In the shop; Glen Moray 25 Year Old Port Cask Finish £150.00 – come on where can you buy superb whisky like this at this price? Individually numbered, each bottle is unique. Finished in authentic Port Casks imported from the best port houses in Portugal.

As Graham says “With a great, long serving team working on the creation of the spirit, I am always delighted with the quality of the new make produced at Glen Moray. It is then up to me to pick the optimal time to remove the matured whisky from the oak to ensure the highest quality Single Malt makes it into the bottle.” – Graham Coull, Master Distiller, and can I tell you, HE KNOWS HIS JOB!

We have taken, oooh hundreds of people here for tours and tastings, has anyone ever been let down? NO. I recall wanting to take our pals from Finland here for the first time, they were reluctant as it was not a big name in Finland, we took them, we had to physically pull and push them out, they liked it so much, and aye, they have returned!

So in summing up, great staff, a friendly place to be, good tours, great drams on offer and the wallet takes a pounding aye, but compared to other distilleries, you are let off lightly. Come and join us on a tour there.

PAUL and LIZ

www.mcleanscotland.com/ www.whiskytours.scot/

Auction Ends Soon!

Bidding will end on Sunday 19th from 8pm UK Time!

Time is almost over to bid on this month’s Whisky Auction. Make sure you don’t miss out on a bargain or the bottle you’re really looking for – bid now!

http://www.just-whisky.co.uk/

One of a Kind Leather Bourbon Bag Created by Jackson Wayne 

FRANKLIN, Tennessee – November 3, 2017 – Jackson Wayne Leather Goods has collaborated with the Southern Whiskey Society to create a totally unique product, just in time for the holidays: the Bourbon Bag. This tote is both rugged and refined, designed specifically for connoisseurs of fine whiskey to carry their fine spirits to transport their spirits to tastings, gatherings and other events.

The Bourbon Bag is made with thick vegetable tanned full grain leather, which means that its quality is top of the line and makes a perfect gift for the true (or even wannabe) whiskey aficionado.

“Until now, guys would be carrying around expensive bottles of bourbon in cardboard boxes or their own makeshift bags,” says founder of Jackson Wayne, Andrew Lynch, “But in talking with the guys over at the Southern Whiskey Society, we really felt that fine bourbon deserved to be carried around in fine leather, and some functionality was needed, so we got to work on developing this bag. It was a lot of fun to design.”

The Bourbon Bag, like all Jackson Wayne products, is American made. In addition to heirloom quality leather bags that are built to last, Jackson Wayne also has a direct-to-consumers pricing model allowing consumers to pay for quality instead of markups–making the Bourbon Bag attainable given its level of craftsmanship and quality of materials.

Product details include:

• Thick full grain vegetable tanned leather
• Unlined, finished leather interior
• Antique brass hardware  and solid continuous gusset construction with reinforced bottom
• Holds 3 bottles – can also be used as a wine tote
• Contains 2 removable leather cylinder casks to configure a variety of bottles
• Has 2 side holster for carrying mixers, glasses, tools & accessories
• Free domestic shipping and returns, international shipping available
• Dimensions: 15” x 14” x 4.25”
• Handcrafted in America
• Available in Saddle Tan and Vintage Brown
• Price $475.00
• Pre-orders are now open, shipping begins in December 2017.

Tickets on sale March 26!

Mark the date – tickets for Spirit of Toronto 2018 go on sale Monday March 26 at 10am through Roy Thomson Hall’s box office. If you are subscribed to this list then you will get an automatic reminder the night before, as well as updates on the features, guests and masterclasses for 2018.

Can’t wait til then? Read on!

Tis the Season for Giving!

We’re pleased to announce that we have a limited number of gift cards available to be redeemed for General Admission tickets to the Spirit of Toronto main showcase on Saturday May 5 at Roy Thomson Hall. Gift certificates are $175 apiece which includes all fees and taxes.

The cards come with a unique barcode number which the recipient must register with us along with their name and address. The actual tickets will be sent out March 26.

If you would like to purchase a gift certificate, please email us, indicating how many and to whom they should be sent, and we will forward you an invoice which can be paid by credit card. Once payment is processed the gift certificate will be mailed out via Canada Post.

Please note that these gift certificates are for general admission only; masterclasses cannot be reserved before March 26. Gift cardholders interested in attending a class will be able to do so by contacting the box office directly and purchasing a seat reservation as an add-on to their General Admission ticket. (Please note that usual box office fees will apply to any masterclasses that are purchased as an add-on.)

NOVEMBER AUCTION NOW LIVE

(ends Sunday 26^th November)

…place your bids at http://www.whiskyhammer.co.uk/ 

With an incredible selection of whiskies and other fine spirits there is certainly something for everyone – whether you are looking to collect, invest, enjoy!

Santa Claus is Coming to Town!

Christmas is fast approaching and with it comes the impending panic of Christmas shopping, but there’s no need for the stress this year, The Whisky Shop has your back! With our range of fantastic gifts from Advent Calendars to 12 Drams of Christmas, we have something for every whisky lover to last from December 1st to January 6th – what more could you wish for?

Next day UK delivery available International Shipping

12 Drams of Christmas Deluxe Edition

Looking for something a little bit extra special for your true love this Christmas? Fresh off the first sleigh from the North Pole, the 12 Drams of Christmas Deluxe Edition has a 3cl bottle of premium whisky for each day of the festive season. Featuring some rare and old whiskies including limited edition Scotch, Japanese whisky and a single cask exclusive to The Whisky Shop, you can find the full list of drams by clicking the link below.

£125 Buy Now